1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a novel highly water-soluble composition containing as primary ingredients phytic acid and ferric ions and as a dissolution accelerator carboxylic acid ions and further including as an additive a carboxylic acid or its salt, a saccharide, an amino acid or its salt and an organic phosphoric acid compound or its salt. The present invention is also concerned with the use of such a composition, e.g., pharmaceutical preparations making use of its effects upon the removal of uraroma and body smell, detoxication, the treatment of diabetes and hyperlipemia, the remediation of erythrocyte flexibility and dysmnesia and the inhibition of the proliferation of fat cells.
2. Prior Art
Phytic acid is a hexaphosphate of inositol, and occurs naturally in various kinds of plants in the form of mixed combined salts (Phytin) with calcium, magnesium and potassium.
Phytic acid and its salts have already been used as pharmaceuticals. For instance, calcium phytate has been used as calcium enhancers; sodium phytate for the prevention of the recurrence of calculus; potassium phytate for the treatement of hypercalcemia; and so on.
In the form of food additives, phytic acid has also been used to prevent the blackening of canned foods and the formation of strabite therein, prevent the discoloration of fruit juice and drinking water, promote fermentation and prevent the oxidation of edible oils as well as for other purposes.
In addition, the oral administration of phytic acid has been effective for the removal of uraroma and body smell, detoxication, the treatment of diabetes and hyperlipemia, the remediation of erythrocyte flexibility, dysmnesia and hypohepatia and the inhibition of the proliferation of fat cells. Further studies made by the present inventors have revealed that such functions are further enhanced by the addition of ferric ions to phytic acid.
It has been found, on the other hand, that the administration of phytic acid gives rise to a lowering of the absorption of metal ions simultaneously with a metal deficiency, because phytic acid bonds to metal ions such as Ca.sup.2+, Zn.sup.2+, Fe.sup.2+ and Fe.sup.3+ to form insoluble chelates and salts--see Eiji MIYAZAWA and Tsutomu YOSHIDA, "The Progress in Medical Science", Vol. 144, No. 10 (1988).
It has also been known in the case of a heavy metal salt formed of phytic acid and ferric chloride, such as monoferric phytate, a heavy metal of five or more equivalents bonds to a part of phytic acid to form an insoluble heavy metal salt--see Japanese Patent Publication No. 43(1968)-16977. Further, it has been known that diferric or tetraferric phytate obtained from phytic acid and a ferric salt is lower in bioavailability than monoferric phytate--see Lipschitz D. A. et al, "J. Nutr.", 109, page 1154 (1979).
Thus, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a ferric salt of phytic acid which does not bring about a lowering of the bioabsorption of ferric ions that is the defect of phytic acid, and is of solubility so high that its bioavailability can be high.
According to the present invention, the above object is achieved by the provision of a novel composition of phytic acid, in which ferric ions are rather positively supplemented to phytic acid, and carboxylic acid ions as a dissolution accelerator and other additives are further added to enhance the bioabsorption of phytic acid and ferric ions.